Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-16
Especial Correspondence J

is IN France for the first time, and 4
whom the invariable blue shirt OF tie peas
ant and the tall, monumental shade trees
along every roadway are more than forty
acres OF ancient ruins with history roosting
on every handful of dust scattered over them
Speaking of III. blue shirted peasant re
minds me that in England and France tn,
small farmer or the laborer shows his calling
in his clothes to a much greater extent thar
among the same classes in America Witt
us sturdy farmer or workingman in hi,
shirt sleeves needs only his coat to make hin
presentable on the street, but in these coun
tries ~the apparel oft doth proclaim the man :
his clothes always show what he is
The ready made clothing man has not iha,
hold on the affections Of the people he has II
our own country, and, until he has, class dis
tinctions will te noticeable 10y even the casua
observer.
We could see, too, very early in our triy
that We had reached Il country where the
prevailing religion differed from that of Eng
land. and the "cowled monk" was not an un
usual sight st the stations and along the high
ways approaching the towns.
We reached Paris about 5 in the afternoon
and wsited nearly half an hour To get ouI
baggage They check baggage in London fol
Paris, and we had ours checked three valises
trunks are "a nuisance to European traveler-
in order to have the custom officials examine
them at Paris instead of at Boulogne, wher.
time was limited. We had them checked
again later for Lyons by paying a penny, bu,
my sdvice is not to do it, for these foreigner.
are the slow.st creatures imaginable, AND
when the traveller can't speak the languag,
baggage claiming is delusion and a snare
No nation on earth but our own has yet &C
quired the art Of making travel pleasure
We slept in Paris, and the next evening Were
in Lyons, after beautiful days ride along
pretty streams, green valleys and cmons
quaint old towns
The next morning before starting out TO Sc,
the town l interviewed Dickey
"Dickey," said /, what do you know about
Lyonsr
got q splendid Lyons silk umbrella and a Ly
ons velvet dress that cost Is yard in tn,
piece"
But that isn't history" said l.
"3ut its fact, said sine, which all history
isn't They are the genuine article. too, foi
the handsome clerk in the store told me 50
and that Lyons was famous the world ovei
for its silk and velvet manufacture"
Further conversation developed no NOR
valuable information, and | concluded thai
Dickey must be like some other American
girls knew, and didn't press my inquiries
However, Lyons has II history aud much o
it is stained with blood. 1t Was here that ths
guillotine, the most approved and rapid in
strument Of docapitation. WAS found too slow
by the revolutionary leaders Of 1871, SO they
gave it up and went TO shooting and drown
ing the objects Of their vengeance. I hsv.
seen several guillotines, one Of which had cut
off 1900 heads, SO the guide said; and
think should prefer shooting or drowning
though don't suppose it would make very
much difference half an hour after either op
Grafton were completed.
There's new Lyons and an old Lyons, and
in old Lyons | never had seen so many mar
row streets and high houses. They looked
like Rocky mountain canyons with windows
in them. We ran around everywhere, and
finally adjourned to the heights of Fourviere
where there is a great church and a great
view. We went into the chapel and it looked
like picture shop. for this is a place where
pilgrims come by millions and each ons
seems To have left white tablet OF a smal
memorial picture. On the hillside below til.
church is a garden filled with shrines and al
one saw sight which caused reflection. Ii
recess were life size figures Of Christ enc
Mary, and between them stood a gardener
with broom in his hand. KneelinE at tn.
entrance was u plainly dressed man, and as
watched the group it WAS difficult To say
whether the animate or inaninate figure.
within were receiving the worship Of thu
kneeler. In any event the gardener and hi,
broom occupied the most conspicuous posi-
ton and seemed proud of it.
"Why don't they put up the sign 'Closed
for REPAIRS" said Dickey, ''Or throw tn,
gardener over the fencef'
Don't talk So" said /; its none Of oul
business. TIE poor man on his lnees mean
all right, and if the piritual and tempora
are brought into rather unusual relations it il
not his fault"
We found Lyons a pleasant city, with 4
pretty girl &C cur hotel VINO spoke Englist
uuite we'll and we should like to have seer
more of it-cNurches, museums, Hotel d,
Vile, parks. ivers and so on-but We had t,
yet away, and We did it regretfully.
The n, Il afternoon found us in Marseilles
the City Of the Sycamores" should call it
for its streets are lined with them, i'm many
ins.anc forming a long continued archway
from curb to curb. In this respect l believ,
Marseilles claims first rank among ali th,
cities o. the world Its drives are magnifi
, cent, the Corniche, along the Mediterranean
being the most beautiful. The Prado Is an
other, lined with four rows Of huge syca
mores and as smooth as a foo-. ! have seer
nothing that compares with il, but when w
cone to think that Marseilies has been cit,
for 800 years there is less cause for wonder
at her Deauty.
aHer bsautyi" said Dickey, As read this t,
ker.
That's what have written" said I.
Change the gender of that po sessive pro
noun,r said she.
Nv hats tine matter with itf" said l.
Age d eSn't improve the beauty Of any
thing Of the feminine gender, said she.
-LoDk at me" said |, ssrcastically
That's what | was looxing at" said she
but made no change, for Marselles is beauti
full and she is old
There is not much to interest the ordinary
Traveller in Marseilles. hu', to me, moth ng
ever so fascinated me as did the Chat an diff
made famous by Dumas in his mont.
Cristo" 1t is on a little island, three mil ,
from shore, and is untenanted save by III,
keeper and his family. TIE old man has beer
there forty-seven years, he told us, ant
prisoners have been imrnured within its hea w
walls during his incumbency l. is time worr
snd rusty -snh rh-'s ~ss chsI m about :.